San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corp., is planning to build a new crude topper unit at its Houston refinery to expand its capacity to process light sweet crude oil from the Eagle Ford shale in South Texas.

The refinery already processes 20,000 to 40,000 barrels a day of crude oil from the Eagle Ford, Valero spokesman Bill Day said, and the expansion would allow it to use more. No construction date has been set, but plans call for the work to be completed by mid-2015.

The Valero Houston Refinery began operations in 1942 and has gone through numerous modifications and expansions. The refinery is a mid-sized plant with a total throughput capacity of 160,000 barrels per day and produces a wide range of petroleum products. Valero acquired the Houston refinery when it purchased Basis Petroleum from Salomon Inc. in 1997. The refinery is located on the Houston Ship Channel, with deep-water access for off-loading feedstocks.

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